Rare Earths, Real Pressure - China's Coercive Push on U.S.-Taiwan Policy

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long pursued a multi-pronged strategy to annex Taiwan — a campaign that has intensified in recent years. From near-daily military incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and territorial waters to provocative blockade exercises around the island, Beijing is steadily increasing pressure. Alongside these military threats, the CCP is waging a parallel campaign of propaganda, disinformation, and grey-zone activities — including infiltration of Taiwan’s government, military, and broader society.

Now, in a new twist, reports suggest that China’s leader Xi Jinping may use upcoming trade talks with the United States to pressure President Donald Trump into publicly opposing Taiwanese independence. On the surface, this might seem far-fetched — especially with Trump often cast as the “Dealmaker-in-Chief.” So why does Beijing believe it can gain the upper hand?

In this episode, we explore China’s strategic response to U.S. tariffs and examine the leverage the CCP holds in its complex relationship with Washington. We also assess how Trump-era foreign policy is shaping U.S.-Taiwan relations — and how Beijing is exploiting global uncertainty to push forward its authoritarian ambitions.

Typhoon Ragasa Relief Donations - click here for info via Taipei Times


Date of Recording: October 5th, 2025.

Picture shows a hypothetical pile of 'rare earth elements' with a Chinese flag supplanted in it signifying how China is the dominant global supplier of rare earth elements, a position it is using to advance its authoritarian objectives. Listen to our podcast at www.pwneilo.com
Rare Earths, Real Pressure - China's Coercive Push on US-Taiwan Policy

DIVE DEEPER:

Additional Information on the topics covered in this episode:

  • Warsaw Forum 2025 - YouTube (Hsu Szu-Chien)  


Credits:


Sound Soul (This Logo Reveal) by Diamond_Tunes via Pixabay


Chinese Asian Music by SoundGalleryDT via Pixabay


Translator voice by ElevenLabs.io


#ChinaTaiwan, #TaiwanStrait, #TaiwanUnderThreat, #ChinaThreat, #USChinaRelations, #IndoPacific, #XiJinping, #Taiwan, #TaiwanIndependence, #CCP, #Geopolitics, #TradeWar, #RareEarths, #Trump, #ChinaLeverage, #Podcast, #Talk, #PodcastAlert